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A Publication by the Students for the Ramapo College Community
11.10.2011
Mahwah Elects New Mayor Amidst Mall Debate
photo by Stefanie Mauro
Since so many locals petitioned against plans to build a mall in Mahwah, the town decided to open up a referendum along with Tuesdayʼs election. See the full story on page 2.
Student Groups Host Discussion on 99% Protests By KAITLIN McGUINNES S Web Editor
On Monday, Nov.7 at 9 p.m., more than 50 students gathered in the Trustees Pavilion to discuss the “Occupy Wall Street” movement. The event was held by six different student groups: Lambda Beta Phi, Model UN, Mu Sigma Epsilon, Sigma Sigma Sigma, Lambda Theta Alpha and Omega Phi Beta. Several students who had been down to Wall Street to find out about the protests organized the event. Seniors Gabriel Lora, Almer Martins and Lambda Theta Alpha
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president Jorge Ruiz, as well as freshman Danielle Corcione, led the discussion. Ruiz felt that it is important to for students to investigate and discuss current events because the mainstream media is not always reliable. “The one percent is in charge of everything that goes down, what’s explained to us,” he said. Martins said that he didn’t want the discussion to be about the one percent versus the 99 percent, although that is the message emanating from the Wall Street movement. Rather, he felt that the movement involves everyone and
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should be about engaging with each other. “I don’t want to put the emphasis on class warfare,” Martins said. “I don’t think this is a movement about separating others from myself. It’s about being heard.” According to Martins, the Occupy Wall Street movement has emerged in response to a system that favors one percent of Americans. “To qualify for the one percent,” Martins said, “you have to make more than $506,000 a year.” “The game of capitalism is to gain wealth,” he continued. “We’ve reached a point when capitalism has created a cancer within itself.”
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According to Ruiz, Wall Street is to blame for the current economic situation because it lost 20 percent of the U.S.’s wealth that was accumulated over a century by “playing with money.” The speakers listed ways to get involved in and find out more about the movement, including using social media, bringing it up in class and traveling down to Wall Street. Others in the audience felt that the Occupy Wall Street protestors lacked a clear focus, or had too
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SGA Aims to Keep Campus Up to Par XLII No. 9
By CANDACE MITCHELL Staff Writer Starting next week, the Student Government Association will be offering students rides in golf carts across campus in exchange for their input on life at Ramapo College. Every Tuesday from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., SGA members will take any student to class in a golf cart if that student is willing to answer a few questions or give some comments about life at the College. SGA President Steven Wiltbank wants to begin by asking the students if they know what SGA is and what the organization does. “We want the students to understand what SGA is and what we do for the college and that we represent them and the rest of the student body to better student life,” he said. SGA wants to use the golf carts as a direct connection from students to SGA so that SGA can then go and voice the problems of the students to the various departments and organizations at the College. “We have direct connections and liasons to different parts of the College, so if a student has concerns with the dining hall or public safety we want to know because we can help,” Wiltbank said. Senate President Kevin Cottino, the program’s organizer, explains that SGA wants to know concerns of students outside of the organization. “We are hoping to gain more outside student input from students who wouldn’t know where else to go to voice their concerns,” Cottino said.
see SGA on page 6
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Residents Split on Mahwah Mall, Referendum Shows THE RAMAPO Bill Laforet and Chuck Jandris Elected to Take on Issue NEWS
Page 2 The Ramapo News
Robert A. Scott Student Center 505 Ramapo Valley Road Mahwah, NJ 07430
(201) 684-7842 rcnjnews@ramapo.edu Megan Anderle Editor-in-Chief
Nicole Alliegro Elyse Toribio News Editors
Diana Stanczak Danielle Reed A & E Editors
Andrew Gould Sports Editor
Stefanie Mauro Photo Editor
Matt Giuliari
Creative Director
Kaitlin McGuinness Web Editor
Valerie Canubas Business Manager
Dan Sforza
Technical Advisor
INSIDE
Around the Arch Page 3
Viewpoints Page 7
A&E Page 8
Sports Page 13
POLICY
Whenever necessary, The Ramapo News will publish corrections or clarifications in the following issues. All corrections must be brought to the attention of the editor as soon as possible. The Ramapo News strives for accuracy. In keeping with journalistic standards, pre-publication review of any article, quote or editorial is not allowed. Viewpoints may be dropped off at SC-218 or e-mailed to rcnjnews@ramapo.edu. The Ramapo News reserves the right to edit viewpoints for content, style and space. Anonymous viewpoints will not be accepted. Paid advertisements are accepted at the sole discretion of The Ramapo News staff and are due no later than the Monday of that weekʼs issue. Rates are available by contacting the editorial staff by phone or e-mail.
Thursday, November 10, 2011
By MEGAN ANDERLE Editor-in-Chief Conflict among Mahwah residents regarding the possible development of Cross Road Mall led town officials to allow the residents to vote in a non-binding referendum on Tuesday. Out of 5,678 voters, 2,955 – 52 percent – voted they did not want the area to be rezoned for retail use. These results came hours within the town’s election results. Chuck Jandris won a town council seat over Councilwoman Lisa DiGiulio; Bill Laforet, Mahwah’s new mayor, beat out John DaPuzzo, who was appointed to the position in March after Richard Martel passed away, who was originally elected to be mayor. Laforet and Jandris took 10 of Mahwah’s 14 voting districts, a 41 percent turnout. Residents of the town, divided by the issue, speculated that the candidates’ stances on the mall’s development would be a deal breaker. The Committee to Stop Mahwah Mall, which has 74 members according to their web site, endorsed DiGiulio throughout her campaign and hoped she would advocate against the mall’s construction. “People said, ‘We know this mall is coming. We need someone who’s going to have a forward-thinking approach. We need the right guy to steer the ship,’” Laforet said, about why he thinks he won the race. DiGuilio and DaPuzzo did not return phone
calls or emails at the time of press. Those in favor of the mall focus on the economic benefits; a mall could stimulate the economy and provide jobs to area residents. By contrast, people who oppose the mall, some of who are on the CSMM, worry that the mall will bring excessive traffic to an already congested area. "We are very happy with what the people have said," Susan Chin, one of the CSMM organizers told the Mahwah Patch Tuesday night. The CSMM then garnered more than 2,000 signatures on a petition asking the town council to put a non-binding referendum on the ballot. The council repealed the ordinances allowing for the development and posted the question on the November ballot with a decision finalized in September. The town has encountered multiple lawsuits against the mall’s controversial development. More recently, the Crossroads Developer submitted a site plan for the property a day before the council met to discuss the new ordinance, which John Roth, the township’s council president, said has never been done before. “There have been no case histories; it was a brand new law that passed a year ago allowing a developer to do something like that, so we’re waiting for an interpretation from the superior court to come in,” Roth said. The next step is in the hands of the judge who will vote about how to proceed with the complex issue, and then the planning board who
photo courtesy of Bill Laforet
Bill Laforet is the newly elected mayor of Mahwah township.
will review in-depth. “We need to be patient and see what the judge determines,” Laforet said. “My community is still my biggest priority.” Roth said it will still be at least a year before the legalities and reviews will be completed. “Referendum or not, we’re still waiting on the court cases,” Roth said. manderle@ramapo.edu
‘Occupy Pavilion’ Opens Up Forum on Civil Unrest
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many demands. “All they’re really doing is saying there’s a problem—how are they going to fix it?” senior Haley Fisk asked. “The Civil Rights movement, you knew what it’s about. Vietnam protests, you knew what it’s about. What’s this about?” asked Alex Polanco. Martins responded that the demonstrators are mainly young people and students, and have only been protesting for two months and should not be held responsible for answers the government hasn’t provided in more than two years. He added that real change will only be accomplished when the 99 percent have as much influence over the government as the wealthy and powerful one percent. “What we have accomplished in the last 60 years is phenomenal,” Martins said. “Capitalism has done a lot of great things, it’s not all wrong, but it’s time to acknowledge the realities of it.” kmcguinn@ramapo.edu
photo by Steve Fallon
Greek organizations collaborated with the Model UN club to host a discussion in which students could learn more information regarding the roots of the Occupy Wall Street movement, and share thoughts on what they think should be done to remedy the situation.
Thursday, November 10, 2011
THURSDAY’S CHILD
Deceased “Clueless” actress Brittany Murphy would have turned 34 today. Letʼs hope sheʼs sporadically rollinʼ with the homies in heaven.
TODAY IN HISTORY
This day was brought to you by the letter “F” for freedom: the Civil Rights Bill was passed in 1960, the Berlin Wall was demolished in 1989 and “Sesame Street” premeried in 1969.
QUOTE OF THE WEEK
“Ainʼt gonna happen.” - Republican presidential candidate Herman Cain on whether he would be withdrawing from the primaries following allegations of sexual harrassment
Freshmen Nonplussed by Alcohol Education Requirement Program Achieves 98% Compliance Rate in its First Year
By JULIE CANDIO S EKEL Staff Writer
As part of the College’s overall effort to prevent alcohol abuse on campus, Health and Counseling Services instituted an alcohol education program this summer for the Class of 2015. The compliance rate for program completion was a “very impressive” 98 percent, according to Judith Green, director for the Center for Health and Counseling Services. AlcoholEdu College is a “science-based course” freshmen are required to begin prior to their arrival on campus, and complete by the end of October, the Ramapo website states. As the site outlines, the purpose of the program is to prepare freshmen for circumstances involving alcohol and encourage them to communicate with their families about alcohol prevention. Green says it was also started “to help assist first-year students with making responsible choices connected to their own health and safety and to help them learn how they can make positive contributions to our community.” Valerie Przychodzki, freshman, finished the program in October. She said AlcoholEdu is adequate for freshmen, but not influential enough to change students’ opinions on alcohol. “I wouldn’t say it swayed people to not drink or stop drinking,” Przychodzki said. “But it does give students a good idea on what to do in certain situations.” According to Sonia Amladi, another freshman, AlcoholEdu is entirely “ineffective” and taught her nothing she did not already know. “There was no new information that I didn’t learn in high school,” Amladi said. “It was too long for students to focus,
and the videos were amateur and boring.” Freshmen were notified about AlcoholEdu at freshmen orientation and through an e-mail they received in August, Green said. Amladi said she learned additional information about the program “through countless e-mails, a letter sent to my house, and a presentation on alcohol awareness during the summer EOF presentation.” The process to complete the course is two-fold, as outlined on the website. Part I, which takes approximately one hour to complete, includes a pre-test, three chapters, a post-test, and a survey that require “a grade of 85 or higher to pass.” Part II, available to students 45 days after they finish the first portion, consists of one additional chapter and a final exam, on which students must achieve a grade of 75. The second section takes about 15 minutes to do, Amladi said.
“There was no new information that I didn’t learn in high school. It was too long for students to focus and the videos were amateur and boring.” - Sonia Amladi, freshman
In regard to content, Amladi said the survey “asks several personal questions about how many drinks you’ve had over a course of time.” Students should not be concerned about their responses, according to the website, however, because survey replies are “strictly confidential.” “You can feel confident that providing truthful answers— no matter what they are—will not put you at any risk for repercussions,” a description on the Health and Counseling
Services site reads. Not completing the course by the final deadline puts students at risk for repercussions. Students who failed to finish by the deadline now have a hold on their accounts for registration, Green said. “When holds were initially placed, 13 students received a hold on their account,” Green said. “As of Friday, November 4, 2011, there were only eight students who still had a hold.” In addition to a hold, Green says a negative side to not completing the program is that students miss out on “valuable information” to help them make “healthy choices.” Although it is too soon to judge whether changes will be made to the program for next year, according to Green, the efficacy of the pilot course is being assessed. “Through a follow-up survey conducted by AlcoholEdu, the college will have information about whether or not the educational outcomes of the program were met and if the course impacted students’ subsequent decisions.” For now, AlcoholEdu and its effectiveness can only be evaluated through student discussion. Overall, Przychodzki and Amladi agreed that the program took too long to complete and its information was repetitive. “It didn’t change my opinion on anything,” Przychodzki said. jcandios@ramapo.edu
New Club Helps Revamp Sociology, Criminology Major Page 4 The Ramapo News
By CARRIE S LOME Staff Writer
The sociology and criminology major has decided recently, during its club’s interest meeting, to accommodate a more solid curriculum. According to Henri Lustiger-Thaller, the department convener, the new sociology major has been divided into two specific tracks: public sociology and criminology. “This stream-lining of the sociology major will prepare our students for careers in sociology and criminology, whether that is through the market value of a B.A. or a continuation of studies in graduate or professional school,” said LustigerThaller. He explained that developments in the program have actually been happening for quite some time. Over the years, the sociology major has offered courses in criminology and deviance. However, according to Lustiger-Thaller, the College felt it was necessary to clearly distinguish the two different areas of academic focus and their related job markets. As a result, the two new tracks have been put into effect. “The public sociology track represents a fast growing movement on American colleges and universities,” said Lustiger-Thaller. “It is part of a broad intellectual engagement, or to quote the sociologist C. Wright Mills, an approach that helps us see how ‘private concerns can be understood as public issues.’” Lustiger-Thaller also explained that the course is meant to spark the interest of not only professional sociologists, but equally as important, “audiences throughout society who are looking for thought-provoking research around public policy, and therefore stimulating debate within the institutions
Thursday, November 10, 2011
of civil society.” During their studies in the public sociology branch of the major, students will be placed in firms, where qualitative and quantitative research abilities are expected. Students must also have favorable credentials to be accepted into graduate and/or professional schools. Lustiger-Thaller said one example of the engaged research these sociology students are involved in is the Green Dot program on campus. Its participants focus on learning ways to recognize, reduce, and prevent interpersonal violence. The second track of the major, criminology, provides the
photo courtesy of Ashley Waldemar
The Sociology and Criminology club recently started up again, after a few years of being inactive. From left to right, Dan Arthur, Allison Gutworth (vice president), Ashley Waldemar (president), and Matt Adams (secretary).
basis for examining crime and society’s reactions to it. “More specifically, our cluster of courses sharpen students’ understanding of how ideological and institutional mechanisms not only replicate stratification and racial inequality,” said Lustiger-Thaller, “but also obfuscate the way stratification and inequality is generated and reproduced within the context of the criminal justice system.” Lustiger-Thaller expressed the importance of providing a criminology track through the sociology major because “it allows for a more comprehensive examination of how various social forces shape both criminal behavior as well as society’s response to such behavior.” Students involved in the criminology branch of the major are provided with a number of opportunities on and off campus. Aside from the number of criminal justice internships available, Lustiger-Thaller explained that students are exposed the Simon Wiesenthal Center for Tolerance in Manhattan. This, he said, gives students interested in law enforcement a perspective on human rights. At this time, there are no other schools in the metropolitan area that offer these opportunities in their criminology programs. “Our criminology track students will be well placed to work in law enforcement, corrections, and human rights advocacy work in non-profit organizations,” he said, “as well as having excellent credentials for acceptance to graduate or professional school.” Lustiger-Thaller said the Sociology & Criminology club is providing the new major with progressive ideas, guided by its executive student board.
Campus Seems Overrun with Animals, According to Students
By ADRIANA CAPPELLI Staff Writer
Many students are complaining about a seemingly inordinate amount of skunks and other “pests” on campus, such as coyotes, red foxes, bears and raccoons, among other wildlife. There seems to be an especially large concentration of skunks, concentrated in the College Park Aparment complex. “Every time I walk at night I see skunks,” Stephanie Pille, a sophomore student and resident of the CPAs, said. “The another day I almost kicked one.” According to the Public Safety, there is not much the officers they can do. If Public Safety officers see a skunk around, they try to isolate it by putting a box in top of it and then call the Facilities office. In extreme situations with skunks or other animals, they may have to call local animal control to take care of it. Public Safety said that in one instance, they had to call upon animal control for an issue regarding a squirrel in a student’s dormitory last Monday.
“I am not sure if there are multiple skunks or it is the same I always see around. If I see a skunk or smell the secent, I just get out of the way and keep walking. I try not to scare them.” -Brielle Ryan, junior
When Pille returned to her room after a weekend at home, she said she found a living squirrel inside of her toilet. Immediately, she closed the door and called Public Safety. After a few minutes, they came to remove the squirrel and called animal control for a follow-up inspection of her room. Squirrels, along with skunks, are found on campus during the fall when the weather is still warm. According to the University of California Pest Management Program, this is the time of year when skunks can be found roaming around
see MAJOR page 6
the suburbs, taking up dwelling in crawl spaces and occasionally tangling with dogs and people. Since this season has been a bit warm, the skunks haven’t gone into a dormant state, which is the reason why they are around more often than the past winters. Once the temperature goes down, they make or find a warm den to share with other skunks to keep warm until early spring. “I am not sure if there are multiple skunks or it is the same I always see around,” Brielle Ryan, a junior student and resident of the CPAs, said. Skunks are mammals best known for their ability to spray a liquid with a strong, foul odor with their anal scent glands. This is used as a defensive weapon that has a highly offensive smell, often described as a combination of the odors of rotten eggs, garlic and burnt rubber. Skunks can spray with a high degree of accuracy as far as 20 feet. The smell aside, the spray can cause irritation and even temporary blindness and is sufficiently powerful to be detected by a human nose up to a mile downwind. Ryan feels the best way to avoid these effects is to simply stay away. “If I see a skunk or I smell their scent, I just get out of his way and keep walking,” Ryan said. “I try not to scare them.” The best way to avoid getting sprayed by a skunk is to keep a distance in their presence. If students feel threatened by skunks or any other wildlife on campus, they are advised to call Public Safety in the case of any emergencies.
acappel2@ramapo.edu graphic by Matt Giuliari
The graph shows, in percentage, how students responded to the queston “The Ramapo News” asked on Facebook: “What animal have you encounted the most on campus?”
Health Awareness Team Hosts Events to Help Eliminate Stigmas Page 5 The Ramapo News
Thursday, November 10, 2011
By JOS HUA WANGER Staff Writer
The Health Awareness Team hosted a series of five events on mental health as part of the “Mental Health and You” campaign, devoted to eliminating the stigma of mental illness. These included a speaker from the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI), a showing of the film “Prozac Nation,” skits by Rutgers Unity Theater, a student-faculty panel, and a hike on The Ramapo Valley Reservation. “The Health Awareness Team is the student sector of the Center for Health and Counseling. Our basic goal is to promote healthy decisions from Ramapo students and faculty,” explained Brittney Leyton, senior and program coordinator of the Health Awareness Team. Leyton explained her motive for seeking to create this series of events as her personal experience with mental illness and those experiences of a close family member. In high school, she felt like no one else was dealing with the effects of mental illness.
“I used to think these were the kind of people that ended up as serial killers...I thought once you had schizophrenia or bipolar disorder, you were dead in the water.” -James Dik, sophomore
“[W]hen I came to Ramapo… I found that I was not the only one,” said Leyton. The opening event was a talk by David S., of NAMI’s “In Our Own Voice” program, which provides individuals who have recovered from a mental illness an opportunity to share their stories. “[It’s] is more than just education, it’s education from someone who has been through mental illness,” he described. The talk consisted of a short video clip of others telling their experiences, followed by David sharing his. “It’s fantastic that people are bringing attention to mental health issues and at the college level, which is perhaps the most important level to address these sorts of things,” said David. David was diagnosed with Bipolar II disorder in his mid20s, but said his symptoms started in high school. Recovery for David meant being able to complete his master’s degree in social work from Columbia University.
photo by Joshua Wanger
Students and faculty took part in a panel as part of the “Mental Health and You” campaign that took place last week. Panelists shared their experiences with mental illness and gave information on the issue, in an effort to eliminate the stigmas attached to those who suffer from mental illnesses.
David’s story impacted the audience, especially the students. “I used to think these were the kind of people that ended up as serial killers. I did not know that there was that much help to give. I though once you had schizophrenia or Bipolar disorder, you were dead in the water,” said James Dik, sophomore. As part of the campaign, a student-faculty panel was also held. The panel included Eileen Klein, an assistant professor of social work, Michael D. Alcee, a psychological counselor for Health and Counseling Services, and two students, Maria and Kate. The purpose of the panel discussion was for students and faculty to share their personal and professional experiences with mental illness, in an effort to reduce stigma. “It was an on-and-off struggle for at least a good six years before I got help,” Maria said of her illness. She later added,
“When I got to college, I couldn’t deny it anymore, and I looked up the number [for the Counseling Services] in the phone book.” The stigma surround mental illness was also discussed by the audience, in particular, about the word “illness.” “I believe that the word illness has a very negative conation that [makes] individuals feel inferior,” Matthew Kobza, sophomore, said. All in all, David believes it is important to portray the realities of mental illness in an honest light. “You read about in ‘The New York Times’ [that some] schizophrenic person pushed someone on the train tracks, and yeah that happens, but it happens so incredibly rarely that people have this skewed image of who mentally ill people are,” David said.
around them, and can speak up in a red dot situation. Those nominated will be invited to attend the second annual Violence Intervention & Prevention (VIP) training. The half-day VIP Training, which will be held on Nov. 13, will provide the nominated VIPs with the skills to identify and respond to red dot situations.
Students so far seem willing to participate in the nomination process. “I haven’t witnessed any green dots yet that I can nominate, but I think it is a good thing to recognize the people who have an influence on their peers and the Ramapo community as a whole,” Alexis Klubeck, freshman, said. Natalie Guidice, another freshman, agreed. “I think the green dot experience is a good idea, but I hope that students actually participate in nominating people, rather than just letting a good deed go by without it getting appreciated or credited,” she said. According to the general Green Dot and VIP training information, “Over 60 percent of Ramapo students have a close friend who is a survivor of interpersonal violence. One in four Ramapo women and one in 20 Ramapo men report that they have experienced this first hand.”
jwanger@ramapo.edu
Green Dot Experience Seeks Out VIPs to Make Impact on Campus
By JULIANNE INNAMORATO Staff Writer
Nominations have been taking place across campus for the Green Dot Experience, a program started at the College in the fall of 2010. Students, staff and faculty can take part in the effort by nominating anyone they encounter participating in a “green dot.” “A green dot is any action, choice, or attitude that counters or prevents a red dot of violence,” Kat McGee, assistant director of the Center for Student Involvement and coordinator of the Women’s Center said. “Green dots make our campus safer for everyone because they focus on preventing sexual assault, stalking, and intimate partner violence.” “Red dots,” on the other hand, are bad or violent situations which need intervention to better the situation. According to Travis Nicol, a senior involved in the coordination of the Green Dot experience, “A green dot should be a physical representation of what we want campus to be. It was designed to be a system where people intervene someway in a red dot situation and make it a green dot.” The Green Dot Experience is currently looking for nominations of people who have leadership abilities, have influence on their peers, campus community, and the people
“...I hope that students actually participate in nominating people, rather than just letting a good deed go by without it getting appreciated or credited.” -Natalie Guidice, freshman
If students would like to nominate a VIP who they feel can encourage more green dots on campus, they can do so by following the steps on https://ramapo.qualtrics.com/SE/?SI D=SV_0lyF8fgTF64xdmA. VIPs can also be nominated on the Green Dot Experience Tumblr page, at greendotrcnj.tumblr.com, or on the Facebook page, at https://www.facebook.com/pages/GreenDot-at-Ramapo-College/103805953018525.
jinnamor@ramapo.edu
Page 6 The Ramapo News
Thursday, November 10, 2011
SGA Uses Golf Cart Program to Increase Student Interaction continued from page 1
Wiltbank explained that SGA has connections through their friends or students in SGA or their classes, but they want a better way to reach out to everyone. “This allows us to reach out to students that we don’t cross lines with every day,” Wiltbank said. The golf carts make it convenient for a student to voice an issue they may be having at school or even something positive that they want to see more of. Kyle Langston, a freshman, agreed that the golf cart provides an easy opportunity to speak out about the College. “It’s a chance to better our school without walking to class. It’s a win-win situation,” he said. This type of friendly interaction is what SGA is hoping to gain from the golf carts. Cottino said he wants the interactions to be friendly and informal. “We want to ask the students positive questions, like what is one thing they would like to see more of,” he said.
Langston agrees that this seems like an easy was for students to talk to other students in SGA who can help them. “The SGA is very professional, and I feel like a lot of students including myself can state their opinion to them,” he said. Through this program, students get the unusual perk of being driven to class in a golf cart, and SGA gets these students’ input. “We want information to relay back to our liasons so we can make progress in getting things done that appeal to the students needs,” Wiltbank explained. Wiltbank highlighted that the SGA is an organization for the students, so the students are its focus. “The golf cart program helps gain a relationship between students and student government,” Wiltbank said. Cottino agrees with this sentiment. “Basically, we are just trying to better life at Ramapo for every student,” he said.
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photo courtesy of Ashley Waldemar
Administrators are currently restructuring the sociology major curriculum.
Sociology Divides into Two Branches continued from page 4
“The Sociology Club was inactive for a few years,” said club president, Ashley Waldemar, “but my classmates and I started the Sociology and Criminology Club this semester.” The club currently has about 15 to 20 members. Speakers will also eventually be brought by the club to present to both tracks, and according to Lustiger-Thaller, the club will be “planning events, field trips,
developing mentoring resources for students in the major and generally providing a congenial student forum for the new sociology major.” Waldemar said the club plans to hold a general interest meeting before the end of the semester to get feedback from students as to what they want to see from the club in the future. cslome@ramapo.edu
VIEW POINTS
Thursday, November 10, 2011 Campus views are the sole opinion of their respective authors, submitted to The Ramapo News and in no way reflect the views of either The Ramapo News or Ramapo College of New Jersey.
Why Didn’t Anyone Speak Up at Penn State?
Paterno, Penn State Staff At Serious Fault for Turning Blind Eye to Sandusky’s Crimes
By JAKE HYMAN Staff Writer
A legacy tarnished, a program damaged, an
institution hurt, but most importantly, innocent children’s lives ruined; this all sums up what has happened at Pennsylvania State University after assistant football coach Jerry Sandusky was indicted on 40 counts of sex abuse against young boys from 1994 to 2009. Sandusky worked under Joe Paterno, head coach of Penn State’s team for more than 60 years who has led the team to 409 wins. After the scandal came to light, Athletic Director Tim Curley and Senior Vice President for Finance and Business Gary Schultz were arrested on the grounds of perjury, as they had known about Sandusky’s doings but did nothing about it. The worst aspect of this whole ordeal is that Curley and Schultz did nothing about it. Sandusky was caught molesting a 10-yearold boy, and Mike McQueary saw him do it and did nothing to stop the alleged rape. McQueary went home and told his father what he had seen. The information traveled down the grapevine to Paterno, Curley and then Schultz. These three did not fulfill their
moral obligations and the abuse continued. None of the three reported this incident to the police, and it was never fully investigated. Both Curley and Schultz have left their respective positions in the administration, and Paterno resigned as head coach yesterday, effective at the end of the year. “With the benefit of hindsight, I wish I had done more,” Paterno said. In my opinion, that statement is not a proper apology for his behavior which I deem to be criminal. Legally, Paterno may not be held responsible since Paterno told his superior, Curley, what McQueary told him. However, anyone who knows college football and Penn State knows that Paterno has no superior. He is the grandfather, big man on campus, hence the nickname “JoePa.” After he was aware of the allegations against Sandusky years ago, Paterno had the opportunity to stop Sandusky from molesting children right away. He could have gone straight to the police, or straight to university president Graham Spanier. But he didn’t. Paterno washed his hands clean of the situation by informing Curley. He continued to coach and build his legacy, while Sandusky was preying on young boys who had no one
to defend them. By Paterno announcing his retirement, he is going out on his own terms. That should not be allowed. He should be fired immediately and not be allowed to coach this Saturday against Nebraska. Paterno’s fans seem to believe that if the team continues to win, victory will supersede the tragic situa-
tion. Because of his legacy, Paterno gets a free pass. If Paterno has any sense of dignity, he would step down as head football coach and not be on the sidelines Saturday, so people can stop focusing on him and begin to concentrate on the real issues at hand. Sandusky, Curley, Schultz, and the rest of these criminals should be fired from the scene so that the focus can be on doing the right thing for the victims. These boys had their innocence stripped from them by someone who they trusted. Not only were the children betrayed, they were let down by all the adults around them. No one stood up to protect them and that is what bothers me the most. This could have been stopped numerous times but did not. The only thing left now that would serve as any sort of justice on behalf of the victims would be prison sentences for all who abandoned them but unfortunately, even that might not be enough.
iPhones Bring Risk as Well as Prestige
By LIZ ODERMATT Staff Writer
February 10 is a day that will go down in history: it was the day that United States tested the nuclear bomb in Nevada, the World War II peace treaties were signed and the iPhone was officially released on Verizon. Since that day, it seems that no one can even turn their heads without getting a look at one of Apple’s trademark items. Ramapo College is certainly no exception; from the Bradley Center to the Laurel Courts, Apple products are everywhere, especially the iPhone. While Mahwah, a relatively crime-free town, is a safe location for the iconic phone, the same cannot be said for our neighbor New York City. IPhones are stolen everyday from dozens of New Yorkers as they go about their day, whether they are getting on the subway or just walking their dogs. This leads to a bigger question: do iPhones make people a target for thievery? Some say yes, but others disagree. “I think they made [the consumer] more of a target when [the iPhone] was first released, but now they’ve become part of the norm, especially since they are on Verizon,” Howard Yeung, a junior, said.
IPhones are definitely easier to notice than the average purse or wallet. Also, unlike the popular competitor Android, just about every iPhone looks exactly the same. The differences for each iPhone version are more noticeable than differences between versions of other smart phones, like the Andriod. So, when a person who wants to steal an iPhone sees one, they know exactly what software and capabilities getting. The iPhone has a more recognizable design as opposed to other smart phones, as well.
Do iPhones make people a target for thievery?
Because of these reasons, iPhone users are more of a target than regular smart phone users. In addition, New York City is also far more populated than Ramapo College, so there are many more opportunities for the phones to be stolen. IPhone users should be cautious, as their smart phone is highly coveted and easy to steal, but this campus is safe. The latest iPhone 4S has also sparked a high interest and demand.
jhyman@ramapo.edu
*At presstime Paterno was fired from his head coaching position at Penn State effective immediately.
“I do think [owning an iPhone] makes me a target, especially. [There are many people] who look and want one but can’t get them due to the back order,” junior Matt Vaccaro said. “Everyone that looks at me always asks if it’s the new [iPhone] and wants to know about the new capabilities and whether it’s worth investing in,” he added. “I’d have to say that many people look at me differently.” As iPhones get more advanced, however, so do their capabilities. As of right now, there exist numerous free and paid applications that prevent theft. Some of the apps are advanced and can take pictures of the person who steals it. The application then email the photo and phone’s location to the user’s email address. All the theft prevention applications and advanced technology, however, does not change the fact that the iPhone still stand out. Nevertheless, the iPhone remains one the topselling phones on the market today, and as long as Apple keeps releasing new versions, it’s safe to say we will keep buying, no matter the risk. jlodermat@ramapo.edu
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Mindy Kaling
Harold and Kumar
Juan Saliba reviews the classic duoʼs latest adventure Page 11
Maureen Scully reviews Mindy Kalingʼs new book Page 9
‘Invisible Children’ Seeks to Educate Students 11.10. 11
Filmmakers Confront Human Rights Issues in Uganda
BY DANIELLE CORCIONE Staff Writer
Last Thursday, the Invisible Children roadies visited Ramapo in the Alumni Lounges. The non-profit organization’s members, who are mostly college-age young adults, volunteer their time to educate others about the Lord’s Resistance Army, a group that violates basic human rights, and the children they abduct as child soldiers. Invisible Children began with a dream. Three young filmmakers, Jason Russell, Bobby Bailey and Laren Poole, embarked to Africa and documented the lives of several boys in Uganda and the daily tragedies they experienced. By 2006, their compiled videos and interviews were created and officially released as the film “Invisible Children.” Several more documentaries, including “Rescue Me” and “Grace,” have been released ever since. The most recent documentary, “Tony,” was shown before the Ramapo presentation. Followed by the film, the roadies discussed and answered questions. Brenda, a guest, talked about her first-hand experience avoiding the Lord’s Resistance Army in northern Uganda during her childhood. “We want to be the voice of
the unheard voices; we want the invisible to become visible,” she said during her presentation. After Brenda’s biological parents’ deaths, she and her two younger brothers lived with her uncle, who was eventually
“ The movie is particularly relevant because of President Obama’s decision to send military forces into northern Uganda to combat the LRA. It’s not an end but we’re one step closer to making the invisible children visible.” - Kyle Langston, freshman
killed by the LRA, and her aunt. Unfortunately, her aunt could not support her own children along with Brenda and her brothers, so Brenda was forced to drop out of school to pursue a job. However, she re-enrolled while working at the same time. She continued her education and now serves as an inspiration to her younger brothers to finish school; less than one percent of Ugandan women graduate from a university. Currently, she works as a mentor to 28 young female
scholars in Africa with Invisible Children. “I thought it was really moving that Brenda was able to talk about her past in such a calm manner, especially knowing all the violence and suffering that was afflicted upon her and her family,” freshman, Aly Cerbone said. President Obama passed the LRA Disarmament and Northern Ugandan Recovery Act Bill in May 2010. Over 273 Congressmen co-sponsored the bill, and over 200,000 people have signed the Citizens Arrest Warrant for Joseph Kony, the leader of the Lord’s Resistance Army. “The movie is particularly relevant because of President Obama’s decision to send military forces into northern Uganda to combat the LRA, it’s not an end but we’re one step closer to making the invisible children visible,” freshman Kyle Langston said. On campus, students can visit the Civic Engagement Center in SC-213 for more information about how to get involved with helping the organization’s cause. For updates, visit invisiblechildren.com. The website features information and news about the child soldiers, and ways anyone can get involved.
OAU and Beta Kappa Sigma Sponsor ‘A Night in Lights’
photos and caption by Stefanie Mauro
dcorcion@ramapo.edu
The Black and Sexy: "A Night In Lights" dance was held on Friday night as a closing event for Black Solidarity Week. The event was hosted by The Organization of African Unity and Beta Kappa Sigma Black and Latino Sorority. All proceeds from ticket sales went to support the American Diabetes Association. smauro@ramapo.edu
Funnywoman Mindy Kaling Releases Her First Book
Page 9 The Ramapo News
Thursday, November 10, 2011
By MAUREEN S CULLY Staff Writer
Mindy Kaling has made a career of funny. Breaking out on the comedy scene with her two-woman drag play “Matt & Ben”—a show about Matt Damon and Ben Affleck’s friendship—landed her a role as a staff writer for NBC’s “The Office.” For the past seven seasons Kaling has not only been a writer, but a producer, director and actor— as Dunder Mifflin’s resident gossip Kelly Kapoor—as well. Kaling has built a successful career on wearing many hats, so it is not surprising that last week she debuted her first book, “Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me (And Other Concerns).” Part auto-biography, part lists and part advice column, it is hard to find a category for Kaling’s book. What is not hard is to find laugh-out-loud moments in her book. Kaling effortlessly shifts between telling personal stories and sharing her experiences to talking passionately about nonsensical topics. The information she shares is both random and specific, with chapters including “Alternate Titles for This Book,” “Karaoke Etiquette,” “Photos on my Blackberry” and “In Defense
She jokes and talks to the reader with an understanding that most celebrity authors cannot perfect. What also separates her from recent celebrity books like that of Steven Tyler and Rob Lowe is her self-deprecating nature.
Photo courtesy of Wikimedia
Author Mindy Kaling, staff writer for NBCʼs “The Office,” released her first book last week, titled “Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me (And Other Concerns).”
of Chest Hair.” Some may find her “Office” character grating, but in this book, Kaling reveals herself as the more passionate, logical and relatable Dr. Jekyll to Kapoor’s Mr. Hyde. She even lists the similarities and differences between herself and her on-screen self in its own chapter. As a fan of “The Office” I was slightly disappointed in the lack of behind-the-scenes gossip. But, as Mindy explains, she is not Kelly Kapoor and she does not thrive off of that kind of conversation. And that is just how this book reads: a conversation. She jokes and talks to the reader with an understanding that most celebrity authors
cannot perfect. What also separates her from recent celebrity books like that of Steven Tyler and Rob Lowe is her self-deprecating nature. She has no issue with sharing the time she absolutely stopped being friends with her childhood companions or her tips for how to sneak out of someone’s birthday party. If “Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me (And Other Concerns)” is any indication of where Kaling’s career is headed; people should remember her name, because it will surely be on the top of billboards, screen plays, movie posters and credit rolls everywhere in the near future. For anyone who likes shows like “The Office” and “The Daily Show” and books like “Bossypants” by Tina Fey and “A Horizontal Life” by Chelsea Handler, “Is Everone Hanging Out Without Me (and Other Concerns) might be the book for you.
mscully@ramapo.edu
Marketing Students Put Their Skills to Use, Sponsor Event
By S AMANTHA MUCHA Staff Writer
On Tuesday, “Sing Your Heart Out” karaoke took place in J. Lees at 10 p.m. The goal of the event was to raise money for Hope with Heart, a cancer fundraiser for children with heart problems. The idea of the event was developed by a group of students from an advanced topics marketing class, and the Student Government Association sponsored it. The students in the class had to choose an
event and raise money for it as part of their class project. The group uses various techniques and ideas to get Ramapo students out and involved, which can be problematic at Ramapo. It was $2 to get in and people in attendance could pay to keep their friends singing their hearts out on stage, or pay to kick them off all in good fun. “We were happy with the amount we raised since it was pretty much just to see how we could market the event and gain awareness of it through concepts we have learned in our
“We were happy with the amount we raised since it was pretty much just to see how we could market the even and gain awareness of it through concepts we learned in our marketing classes.” -Kiera Larkin, senior
photos by Steve Fallon
marketing classes,” senior Kiera Larkin said. With the help of about 60-70 Ramapo students who came out, they raised $208 for the cause. smucha@ramapo.edu
New Video Game Reaches ‘Uncharted’ Territory
Page 10 The Ramapo News
By S TEVE FALLON Staff Writer
“Uncharted 3: Drake’s Deception” is the follow-up to the universally acclaimed “Uncharted 2: Among Thieves.” Coming only two years after 2009’s game of the year, can Drake’s Deception accomplish the difficult task of living up to expectations? The story once again centers on Nathan Drake, who claims to be a descendant of the legendary Sir Francis Drake. In this game’s quest, he is on the hunt for a lost city, hidden in the deserts of the Arabian Peninsula. At the same time, he is competing for this prize with the leader of a shadowy organization that stretches back 400 years. For the first time, in the “Drake’s Deception,” we get a glimpse into Nathan Drake’s past and his relationship with the characters who have been around since the first game. The basic game-play hasn’t changed significantly since Uncharted 2. The core shooting mechanics play like any other third-person, cover based shooter. Puzzles and climbing segments return, ensuring you are never doing one thing for long periods at a time. The pace of the game is smooth – no action is too repetitive – which allows you to continue playing for hours on end without realizing. The most significant game-play improve-
Thursday, November 10, 2011
ment comes in the hand-to-hand combat, which has been around since the first game but is a much stronger focus in Drake’s Deception. The game opens with an uncharacteristic bar fight which shows off the new features of the system very well.
Photo courtesy of Wikimedia
“Uncharted 3: Drakeʼs Deception” is the newest game in the “Uncharted” series.
In terms of its technical prowess, the game has few rivals. The vividness of the colors in the game coupled with the realistic animation makes for a breath-taking
game. In particular, the game’s animations lend a very human feel to the characters. Drake moves and acts as you would expect him to. The voice acting, in general, is another contributing factor to the game’s cinematic feel.
The most talked about features in the previous “Uncharted” game were the climactic moments, most notably the segment that took place on a moving train.
All of the major characters reprise their roles for this game, and “Drake’s Deception” once again proves itself to be a series with some of the best acting in the industry. The most talked about features in the previous “Uncharted” game were the climactic moments, most notably the segment that took place on a moving train. These sorts of moments return in “Drake’s Deception.” Out of context, these moments are even more impressive in “Drake’s Deception” than in its predecessor. However, it really feels like developer Naughty Dog planned these moments ahead of time, and wrote the story to fit them. While the quality is astounding, these moments factor very little into the story,
and therefore carry less weight to the narrative as a whole. For this reason, the narrative feels very loose. Characters and plot points that come up early in the game fall off with no resolution as the game progresses. The game also features both competitive and cooperative multiplayer. Cooperative modes are based off of missions from both Among Thieves and Drake’s Deception. Most of the game-play from the single player translates to multiplayer, which means that you can climb the environment, use cover, melee enemies, etc. The multiplayer also adds a sprint feature, which makes it much faster paced than the single player. With Drake’s Deception, Naughty Dog was in the unenviable position of having to follow up what many consider to be one of the greatest games of all time. While the game is excellent, and a must play for any Uncharted fan, it lacks the cohesive feel that made Among Thieves like nothing anyone had seen before.
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Sorority Sponsors Event to Help Students Destress
sfallon@ramapo.edu
Photos by Stefanie Mauro
Members of Beta Kappa Sigma Black and Latina Sorority sponsored a free arts and crafts event on Wednesday night to help students relax after midterms and prior to finals. There were a variety of crafts for students to work on, including T-shirts, foam door hangers and wooden crafts. While working on crafts, students were able to enjoy music in a relaxng and stress free atmosphere.
Page 11 The Ramapo News
CEL? ; H;L? ;MI
‘Tower Heist’ Steals the Show
By ELIZABETH ODERMATT Staff Writer
Making a movie is no simple task. Naming a movie can some times be even more difficult. An example of this is the not-so-clever title of Universal’s latest film, “Tower Heist.” Despite the film’s uncreative title, viewers of the movie will be pleasantly surprised. The film includes an all-star cast including Ben Stiller, Eddie Murphy, and Matthew Broderick. Josh Kovacs (Ben Stiller), is a manager of one of the most expensive and luxurious apartments in New York known as the Tower. He has been working there for a few years and is an expert at managing the hotel and his friendly staff. But things go downhill for Josh and his staff when one of the apartments’ richest residents, Arthur Shaw, is accused of fraud. Josh had placed a lot of trust in Shaw at one point and asked him to handle his staff’s pension, which, now due the fraud case, is all gone. Not wanting to let any of his good friends down, Josh comes up with a plan in order to steal back the money from Shaw, which he believes is hidden somewhere in his penthouse suite. Having no idea where to start with a robbery, Josh enlists the help of Slide (Eddie Murphy), his neighbor and childhood friend and along with the help of a few other employees and Mr. Fitzhugh (Matthew Broderick), a bankrupted businessman, the group sets out
Harold and Kumar Do It Again
Thursday, November 10, 2011
By JUAN S ALIBA Staff Writer
Amidst all the movies gunning for Oscar nominations, there are a few movies that disregard the competition and just go for what they think is funny. One such movie is “A Very Harold & Kumar 3D Christmas,” and follows the pair on their adventures like the last two movies In the first movie, “Harold and Kumar Go to White Castle,” they just want White Castle burgto back what is rightfully theirs. ers to help with their serious case of the Trailers for the film do not make it munchies. Things don’t go as planned and they go seem like it is anything special or that on a series of adventures until they finally reach the plot is really all that intricate. The their destination. film’s main draw point is its comedic cast who deliver a great performance. The humor is spread out from beginning to end and people will find yourself laughing through the whole thing. “It was better than I expected, it made me laugh and kept my attention,” junior Cecilia Wilson said. Don’t get too excited though, because the humor is not going to bring you tears. Still, the humor is a nice surprise because the trailers do not set the film up to be hilarious. “Tower Heist is a light hearted, funny film. Ben Stiller and Eddie Murphy are a dynamic duo,” junior Emma RuddickFerrat said. “Although the previews showed a lot of the funny parts, they didn’t give too much away.” Photo courtesy of Wikimedia If you’re looking for a decent comedy John Cho plays Harold in the third that will keep you entertained until the installment of the Harold and Kuma end, “Tower Heist” may be just what movies. you’re looking for. The next movie, “Harold and Kumar Escape from Guantanamo Bay,” picks up after they’ve just finished their massive meal of White Castle burgers and are getting ready for the next adventure. This time, they head for Amsterdam but are mistaken for terrorists and are put into Guantanamo Bay. They eventually escape, but are pursued by federeodermat@ramapo.edu al agents. Their adventures lead them straight into the house of then President George W. Bush and eventually they do make it to Amsterdam. However, unlike the last two movies “A Very Harold and Kumar 3D Christmas” picks up six years after “Escape from Guantanamo Bay.” In
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that time, both characters have drifted apart and moved on with their lives. Harold is married and works on Wall Street and Kumar is still in his apartment, smoking and basically wasting his life away. They both have their own set of problems; Harold is terrified of his wife’s relatives since they haven’t accepted him into the family and Kumar’s lifestyle hasn’t been the most productive because he failed his drug test and his now pregnant girlfriend broke up with him. While trying to get better and make their loved ones appreciate them, a package arrives at Kumar’s door and this begins a series of adventures that brings these close friends together again. Along for the ride is Amir Blumenfeld, best known for his College Humor sketches on Youtube and Thomas Lennon from Reno 911 fame. They both add to the comedy in their own ways and sometimes add fuel to the fire. Harold just wants a nice quiet Christmas with his family, but Kumar comes along and once again messes something up, leading them on multiple adventures. Neil Patrick Harris also shows up parodying himself and does it so well that he steals the show. 3D sometimes seems to be more of a gimmick than anything, however, the filmmakers use 3D to their full advantage with objects going right to your face. There are also some hilariously raunchy scenes and they add to the movie. At times it makes no sense and there is no real plot, but that’s what makes the Harold and Kumar movies great. They don’t follow the normal movie guidelines and just go out of their way to get crazier. If you’re looking for a super serious movie than “Harold and Kumar” is not for you, but if you’re looking for a few hours to kill, then go see this movie, just sit down and enjoy.
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jsaliba@ramapo.edu
Coldplay Tops the Charts with Release of ‘Mylo Xyloto’
By DANIEL MORRELL Staff Writer
In an age where shooting stars are more common than successful album sales, pop rock icon Coldplay proves that it can still be done with their latest release, “Mylo Xyloto.” The album has sold 447,000 copies in its first week according to Nielsen SoundScan, and is at the top of the Billboard 200 chart. The impressive sales have earned “Mylo” the third highest sales in a debut week this year, behind Lady Gaga’s “Born this Way” and Lil Wayne’s “Tha Carter IV.” This is the third album that Coldplay has released that accumulated more than $400,000 in sales in its debut week.
But enough about money and fame. Let’s get to the music. As you can tell by the album’s name, it’s a little out there (The letter “X” is in the title. That letter doesn’t even have its own sound.) But, luckily for Coldplay and their fans, this album delivers its own unique sound. Beyond the usual input of Chris Martin’s supple and melodic piano parts is a plethora of interesting textual and atmospheric elements that are akin to Radiohead and Muse. The first single, “Paradise,” opens with soaring synth pads and violins, backed by a dance beat, gritty bass, and a hollow grouping of catchy “whoas.” Although there are no captivating lyrics to wrap your brain around, I strongly advise that this song be listened to
with caution for another reason: it will be stuck in your head for the rest of the day. There’s no avoiding it. “Hurts like Heaven” possesses the same infectious ability with some stronger lyrical content. Martin explores the existential battle of creation, specifically the struggle of leaving a profound personal imprint on the world. The music consists of foot-tapping drumbeats and memorable guitar melodies. Other notable tracks include “Charlie Brown,” “Major Minus,” and “Us Against the World.” “Charlie Brown” will be the most identifiable for fans of older Coldplay, circa their 2000 release, “Parachutes.” The track features catchy melodies and a less electronic vibe than the rest of the album. “Major Minus” is the funkiest track and feels
like a B-side off of Radiohead’s “King of Limbs,” with a little less synth. And “Us Against the World” is the perfect acoustic ballad to break up the album. Fans of older Coldplay albums may feel that the band has “sold out” considering the catchy synth and dance beats that are begging for club remixes, “Mylo Xyloto,” features great songwriting and progressive steps for the band. It’s always difficult for original fans to adapt when the band makes a dramatic shift in style, but if this album is listened to with an open mind and ears, you’ll like what you hear. dmorrell@ramapo.edu
Page 12 The Ramapo News
LIFE & CULTURE
Thursday, November 10, 2011
Healthy Living: Ways to Make Your Life Last
BY KATIE CURL Staff Writer
According to the World Bank, the average life expectancy for humans is 78.7 years old. However, scientific studiesshow that there are ways to keep everyone healthy and well for even longer. Here are the ways you can:
Walk 30 minutes a day
Naturally, cardio is always a way to fit. Not only do you keep your weight steady, but you also have less of a risk for diabetes and heart disease. A pedometer also can help you track your steps in a day, which helps you keep honest with how much moving you are doing.
Go to bed fifteen minutes earlier
“It’s when every organ and system in your body repairs, restores and resets itself. Not getting enough sleep compromises how well your entire body functions,” David Katz, MD, director of the Prevention Research Center at the Yale University School of Medicine said.
It is easy to relate to the feeling of a heavy homework load or problems at work, but maintaining a healthy way of staying calm is important.
By cutting a few minutes of your night short, you are sure to get yourself into a new
routine.
Floss daily
It’s something many of us have been instructed to do by our dentists. Though inconvenient to do, studies have linked periodontal disease to cardiovascular disease.
Stop Smoking
This may be an obvious answer but scientists can prove doing this will help you gain up to six years extra in your life. After two years of not smoking, the risk for heart disease and lung cancer cut in half.
Manage your stress
It is easy to relate to the feeling of a heavy homework load or problems at work, but maintaining a healthy way of staying calm is important. Studies show that stress can shed years from your life due to constant high blood pressure and heart rate levels. Ways to improve your stress levels can include simply chewing gum or meeting a friend faceto-face. “Being involved with friends or in a community is as powerful as exercise in terms of preventing heart disease and dementia,” Henry Lodge, MD, co-author of “Younger Next Year for Women” said.
Eat Right
Sometimes easier said than done, especially on a college budget, but it is completely possible for all students. Eat at least five servings of vegetables a day, that way nutrients can fight disease in your body.
Magenta’s Meals
BY LAUREN MAGENTA Staff Writer
First semester of the year is flying by and your motivation and inspiration to make a dorm-cooked dinner is probably melting away, right? To help fight the urge to order from Cars, here is a recipe for a mouthwatering parmesan crusted chicken dinner. With a side of veggies or potatoes you have got a complete and tasty dinner. Ingredients: (To make 1 chicken breast) Skinless Chicken Breast 1- teaspoon Dijon Mustard – 1- teaspoon of Apple Juice Pinch- pepper 1- tablespoon Parmesan Cheese 1- tablespoon breadcrumbs Before you begin set your chicken out to defrost and preheat your oven to 350 degrees. To start, mix together the mustard, apple juice and pepper in a small cup. Then, set that aside and combine the Parmesan cheese and breadcrumbs. Coat both sides of the defrosted chicken with the mustard mix and them cover with the Parmesan mix. Place the chicken on tinfoil in the oven or toaster oven for 20 minutes. A couple extra minutes may be needed for thicker chicken breast. This is a baked chicken rather than fried so steaming vegetables like broccoli, spinach or carrots is a great way to keep this
Photo courtesy by David Goehring, Flickr Creative Commons
Sleep is one way to stay healthy. By just going to bed a few minutes earlier, itʼs easy to get into a new routine and be on your way to a healthier lifestyle.
Fish is also a great way to keep healthy. By making a seafood meal, this helps to fight heart disease, hypertension, depression, and even Alzheimer’s disease, Diane McKay, Ph.D, a researcher with the Jean Mayer USDA Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging at Tufts University said. Even the Ramapo College cafeterias offer healthy alternatives to everyday ingredients like
whole wheat and turkey burgers. Health is a huge part of all of our lives; therefore how we maintain is as well. For more information of how to keep up an improved lifestyle, visit www.yahoo.com/health.
Aries (March 21-April 19) You feel something brewing deep beneath the surface. Keep on fanning those flames and directing your will with intent.
You will be experiencing a great hunger for what is true. Follow those pangs and your life will dramatically deepen.
Gemini (May 21-June 20) Your level of tolerance is reaching its limit and this will pave the way for a new and better way of relating and connecting with those you care about. This week is about listening to what others need and to express yourself with absolute honesty.
Sagittarius (November 22December 21) This week is about purging the impurities that have been mixing with what is natural to your spirit and destined path.
Horoscopes
Taurus (April 20-May 20) Something in your life is coming full circle now. With this energy it will bring you close to something but it will also catapult you forward.
Photo by Lauren Magenta
Parmesan crusted chicken is an easy meal to make in your dorm. By adding vegetables, you can create a complete meal that is healthy for you.
recipe on the “healthy” list. With protein and veggies you have a complete dinner. Now you can double the recipe and make two chicken breasts, one for your roommate and one for yourself! lmagenta@ramapo.edu
Cancer (June 21-July 22) Prepare to surprise yourself this week as a true cleverness storms in. The process however all starts with a humble heart. Lead with this and you will be half way there. Leo (July 23-August 23) There is something you want and possibly need. If you pace yourself and do the necessary work, the results will be awesome.
Virgo (August 24-September 22) Regardless of whatever is occurring in your life, you are moving into a better position. Time will tell how things will ultimately play out, but your efforts are going to show that you are just where you need to be. Libra (September 23-October 22)
kcurl@ramapo.edu
Scorpio (October 23-November 21) In order to strike a balance in life, it demands a true give and take. This week you may be finding out more as it relates to who you can truly trust and it may be a wake up call in terms of how to move forward.
Capricorn (December 22-January 19) This week is all about balance and this means letting go of the reigns a bit. This may create a deep feeling of vulnerability but it will pave the way for greater growth. Aquarius (January 20- February 19) You may be experiencing a certain sort of emotional let down this week and this energetic down turn can create the feeling of giving up. A way through and a way back up is a heartbeat away.
Pisces (February 20-March 20) Something in your life is making you feel like you have gone past the point of no return, but the greatest gains are made when you can live with full integrity and honesty. Horoscopes courtesy of madalynaslan.com
SPORTS
After NJAC Loss, Volleyball Advances to ECAC Tournament 11 . 10 . 11
By RYAN BUCHANAN Staff Writer
photo by Steve Fallon
Ramapo defeated Hunter College last night in the first round of the ECAC Tournament.
The women’s volleyball squad of Ramapo College earned its final victory of New Jersey Athletic Conference play against the 15-16 Rowan Profs on Thursday in four sets in the Bradley Center. The victory advanced them to the final round of the NJAC tournament on Saturday, where they lost a hardfought re-match of last year’s title match against Richard Stockton College in Pomona, NJ. The 200 people in attendance at the Bradley Center on Thursday witnessed Ramapo grab the championship bid in four sets. Led by Senior Michelle Ferrari’s 21 kills and senior Tiffany Fischer’s 40 assists, the Roadrunners brought their best game to Rowan. There were eighteen lead changes in the upand-down semi-final victory versus Rowan University that brought Ramapo to a 27-6 record. The set scores were 28-26, 23-25, 2523 and 25-18 in the final set that gave Ramapo the win. In the first set, Ramapo was down 24-22 and came back to win, 28-26. The set featured an ace by junior Julia Tuzio on their 27th point. Ramapo lost the second set to Rowan to make the match tied in sets. Ramapo was down 24-20, came back to make it 24-23, and lost the last match point to give Rowan the victory in the second set. The third set was tied almost all the way through, and ended with Julia Tuzio making another big play to get the final kill in the
25th point by placing the ball at exactly the right place on the opponent’s side of the floor.
“We all knew it could be our last time playing on the court.” - Tiffany Fischer, setter
In the fourth set, Ramapo came out strong. The immediacy of the win came out the strongest in the fourth set. “We all knew it could be our last time playing on the court,” Fischer said. Winning the match against Rowan University gave them the energy that they needed going into Saturday’s NJAC Championship match versus Richard Stockton College. “We realized the adrenaline level that we need for Saturday,” Liz Steck said. Stockton’s defense is known for having superb team chemistry, and Ramapo knew that if they had a chance to beat Stockton, they needed to be completely together on defense. “Defense is going to have to be our number one thing.” Fischer said. “They’re so disciplined on defense.” Coach Robert Pichardo believed that the key to beating Stockton would be to be mentally prepared. Richardo built this theory when the team played Stockton late in
September. “As long as we’re mentally prepared, I think we’ll be able to beat Stockton.” Pichardo said. “We’ve been playing good volleyball.” The first set against Stockton in Saturday’s match was the closest, resulting in a 27-25 Stockton final. After that point, it seemed like Stockton had Ramapo figured out, putting up final scores of 25-19 and 25-14 in the second and third sets, giving Stockton its fourth consecutive championship.
“Defense is going to have to be our number one thing.”
Despite the loss in the NJAC Championship, Ramapo advanced to the Eastern Conference Athletic Championship. Last night, the Roadrunners won their first match against Hunter College in four sets. The scores were 23-25, 25-17, 25-21, and 25-20. The win advances Ramapo to the semifinals against the top seed, and host of the ECAC Championship, Elmira College, on Saturday.
Santaniello Shines for Ramapo in Junior Year
Menʼs Soccer Star Close to Becoming School Leader in Goals Scored
By VICTORIA AHLERS Staff Writer
Junior Rob Santaniello has been making a huge impact on the men’s soccer team since his debut in 2009. During his freshman year, he was named New Jersey Athletic Conference Rookie of the Year while also being named to NJAC First Team All Conference. Santaniello entered Ramapo with a dedicated attitude, and now that he is a captain, he said is going to instill that in his teammates by continuing to push the team to get better every day. “Coming into my freshman year I knew what to expect in the talent I was going up against,” Santaniello said about his early success. “But I just have a hard work ethic, in practice and in games.” During his sophomore year, Santaniello was able to break the singleseason record with a team high of 46 points for the season. He finished the 2010 season leading all NCAA Division III in three categories: points per game, goals per game and total points.
Ramapo All-Time Goal Leaders 1. Nansha Kolonji - 52 2. Rob Santaniello - 51 3. Marco Chung - 46 4. Joe Armooh - 24
statistics courtesy of Ramapo Athletics
This year, the men’s soccer team finished 7-8-2. Santaniello scored 14 of their goals, including four game-winners. He started out this season
- Tiffany Fischer
scoring six goals in the first two games. Once again, Santaniello was named to NJAC First Team All Conference for the third year in a row. In addition to succeeding on the soccer field, Santaniello succeeds academically as well. He is a member of the Italian Club, and holds a 3.3 GPA. Santaniello has managed to balance school with soccer, sometimes writing papers and studying for tests while traveling to away games.
“Coming into my freshman year I knew what to expect in the talent I was going up against,” Santaniello said about his early success. “But I just have a hard work ethic, in practice and in games.” - Rob Santaniello
“I don’t find it overwhelming to finish my assignments or study for a test,” Santaneillo said. “It’s all about using your free time wisely during the season.” Santaniello remains only two goals away from breaking the school record for total career goals. The record is currently held by Hall-of-Fame member Nansha Kolonji, who posted 52 career goals. Santaneillo is confident that next season he will be able to become the new record holder, setting the bar high for players to come. vahlers@ramapo.edu
rbuchana@ramapo.edu
RAMAPO SPORTS THIS WEEK
Saturday:
Men and Women’s Cross Country - NCAA Atlantic Region Championships at St. Lawrence Women’s Volleyball at Elmira College - ECAC Tournament
Tuesday:
Women’s Basketball at Hunter College at 6 p.m. Men’s Basketball at Emerson College at 7:30 p.m.
New-Look Roadrunners Look to Score NJAC Championship Page 14 The Ramapo News
Thursday, November 10, 2011
Men’s Basketball Gets Ready to Open Season With Revamped Roster
LaQuan Peterkin show this in the league.” Due to the loss of certain team members, Ramapo will have to change the style of play. Usually going into a game confidently with 12 to 13 guys deep, the rotation will now mostly revolve around six to seven men.
By MELIS S A FALCONE Staff Writer
This 2011-2012 season for the Ramapo College men’s basketball team will uncover a new mentality and strategy to victory. Last season, Ramapo finished 20-7 in the regular season and 11-2 in the New Jersey Athletic Conference. The team also was offered an at-large bid to the NCAA Tournament. The team needs to think of new ways to work together this year. Coach Chuck McBreen feels that the team is ready to bounce back from some of the losses they encountered during the NJAC Tournament last year. However, within the last couple of months, the team has lost four of their top players due to eligibility issues and injuries. “I was supposed to have nine key players back, but instead I lost four of our top six men, which was equal to 51 of our 80 points a game last year,” McBreen said. The Roadrunners will have to find a way to replace starting guard Ahmad Hassan, who led the team in scoring last year with 18.5 points per game, sixth-man Travis Conyers, starting point guard Anthony LoRusso and starting forward Elgin Brown, who led the team with 8.2 rebounds per game. Regardless of certain talent leaving the team, they are receiving a new crop of talent with 12 new players, including nine freshmen. This will give the Roadrunners a chance to accomplish a winning season with a new group of players with different abilities. With a new philosophy for the game, the team could see victory in the future. The top NJAC teams Ramapo face are
“The best attributes on the team are our big men and the strength they have. Stephon Treadwell and LaQuan Peterkin show this in the league.” - Chuck McBreen, coach
photo courtesy of Ramapo Athletics
The menʼs basketball team finished the regular season on top of the NJAC before losing to Montclair State University in the playoffs.
William Paterson University, Montclair State University, Rutgers University-Newark and Jersey City University. McBreen looks to establish a dominant inside presence with two of his returning players. “The best attributes on the team are our big men and the strength they have.” McBreen said. “Stephon Treadwell and
“We have to change our style of playing due to the loss of certain players,” McBreen said. “Having changed our expectation level, we need to put the pieces together.” Ramapo College is currently selected to win the 2011-2012 NJAC Championship for men’s basketball. If the team manages this victory, it will be their third conference win in Ramapo history. The Roadrunners will kick off their season on Tuesday, Nov. 15 when they travel to Massachusetts to take on Emerson College, followed by a game against the University of Massachusetts-Boston on Nov. 16. “Our main goal is to get everyone on the same page with the new faces playing and to challenge the conference this season,” McBreen said. mfalcone@ramapo.edu
Los Angeles Eliminates New York in MLS Postseason Galaxy Set to Face Off Against Dynamo in Championship
By JONATHAN GONZALEZ Staff Writer
Not even the energy drink could give the Red Bulls wings. As the 2011 Major League Soccer season comes to an end, one of pre-season favorites, the New York Red Bulls, lost to the Los Angeles Galaxy to be eliminated from the MLS Cup Playoffs. With an unimpressive 10-8-16 record during the season, New York managed a 4-2-2 record in their last eight games to build strength for their opening match against FC Dallas. In the single elimination match, the Red Bulls came away with a 2-0 victory at Dallas. With that win, a dream match against Los Angeles was set. As these two major market teams met for the first of a twogame, total goal format, the Galaxy went into Red Bull Arena with a strong 2-1-1 record against New York in the playoffs. As the crowd took refuge from the snow, tempers flared in the first leg of the match as Red Bull international midfielder Rafa Marquez tangled with his counterpart Juninho that led to their dismissal from the game. Although both teams were even through the first 45 minutes, striker Mike McGee scored in the second half. After nine seasons as a member of New York, now Galaxy starter McGee nailed a cross from David Beckham past goalie Frank Rost to give Los Angeles the 1-0 victory in the first leg.
“I’m not too sure. I just thought it was one of them games where everybody was going to score a lot of goals.” - Luke Rodgers, striker
As the teams traveled out of snowy New York, the Red Bulls faced an up-hill struggle. From the first whistle, the Red Bulls came out in attack mode. They controlled the ball
photo by Luke Carey, Flickr Creative Commons
The New York Red Bulls were knocked out of the playoffs after losing to the Los Angeles Galaxy, who will move on to play the Houston Dynamo in the MLS Cup on Nov. 20.
patiently, while uncovering the holes in Los Angeles’s defense. This allowed Thierry Henry to find an open Luke Rodgers for a goal in the first four minutes. This place both teams even at 1-1 in total goals, but 1-0 in the second leg of the match. When the Red Bulls played harder, the Galaxy only tighten up, preventing New York from gaining any momentum. In the 42nd minute, McGee was the recipient of a beautiful Beckham set piece. His second goal of the playoffs put New York in a 2-1 hole. Provided with chances to tie the match, the Red Bulls failed to convert. As the game narrowed, Landon Donovan scored on a penalty kick to put Los Angeles up 3-1 and send New York home. “I’m not too sure. I just thought it was one of them games
where everybody was going to score a lot of goals,” Red Bulls striker Luke Rodgers said. “We will prepare now for next season. Good luck to LA.” The Galaxy then faced Real Salt Lake in the semi-finals, where a dominant performance by Beckham and McGee lifted the Galaxy to a 3-1 win. On the other side of the bracket, Houston defeated Sporting Kansas City, 2-0, which propelled them back into the MLS Cup for the second straight year. The Galaxy will host the Dynamo on Nov. 20th at 9 p.m. jgonzal7@ramapo.edu
Should Eli Manning Be Considered An Elite Quarterback? Page 15 The Ramapo News
Thursday, November 10, 2011
Credit for Manning is Long Overdue
By JEREMY KELLY Staff Writer
With Sunday’s last-second victory by the New York Giants over the New England Patriots (boy, does that sound familiar), it’s apparent that there’s still an elite quarterback in the NFL with the name Manning. In this case, his name is actually in the word “elite.” It seems like ever since the dubious draftday trade that the Giants made in 2004 to get Ole Miss quarterback Eli Manning, people have been looking for any excuse to hate him. He has always been overshadowed by his brother, Peyton, or criticized for not being very vocal. This past summer, however, Manning spoke volumes when he claimed that he belonged in the same class of top quarterbacks as Tom Brady and Peyton Manning. Naturally, people rolled their eyes, but it seems that he’s put plenty of stock into that bold statement. This isn’t just because he’s won a Super Bowl, an argument people make. Naysayers respond, “So did Trent Dilfer. So did Brad Johnson.” But he did it against an unbeaten opponent, completing a 2007 postseason where he only had one turnover. He’s proven to be a clutch player, even going back to comeback wins against the Broncos in 2005 and the Eagles in 2006. This season, the Giants have five victories after trailing in the fourth quarter, where Manning leads the NFL in quarterback rating. In situations where mechanics don’t matter, where it’s a simple matter of getting the ball downfield, he’s an unflappable leader. He’s
realized by now that he doesn’t need to play perfect; he just needs to play football. Coming into the 2011 season, there was plenty of doubt surrounding the team. Manning had lost two of his most dependable targets: wide receiver Steve Smith and tight end Kevin Boss. But he has been unflinching in his willingness to target new stand-out weapons like Victor Cruz and Jake Ballard. He was even getting Domenik Hixon back into the act before his second knee injury in as many seasons. He’s not afraid to make a tough throw into tight coverage when they need a big play.
photo by Rafael Herrera, Flickr Creative Commons
Eli Manning has led the New York Giants to a 6-2 record this season.
That’s the appeal of Eli Manning. He’s not afraid of playing the game, and he never doubts his ability to play well. In terms of athleticism, you’ll find quarterbacks in the league better than him. But when you’re looking for someone who knows how to play the position with poise and reliability, he’s someone you really want on your team.
NFL
Andrew Gould
Last Week (4-2) Season (25-17)
NE @ NYJ NYG@ SF NO @ ATL BUF @ DAL HOU @ TB DET @ CHI
10
Jeremy Kelly
Last Week (4-2) Season (29-13)
By NICK BOWER Staff Writer
For the entire first half of Sunday’s Giants-Patriots game, Eli Manning was shut out by a New England defense that was ranked dead last in the NFL. He barely completed 50 percent of his passes while throwing a crucial interception in New England’s end zone. And now fans and analysts are quick to anoint Manning as an “elite” NFL quarterback. Sorry, I’m just not buying it. If New England’s Sergio Brown was not called for a questionable pass interference call that placed the ball at New England’s one yard line with 30 seconds left, or if New England knew, like everyone else watching the game, that the Giants had to throw the ball on third-and-goal and therefore cover Jake Ballard off the line, the Giants do not win that game and I am not even writing this article. Eli Manning did not beat or even outplay Tom Brady in that game. The Giants defense’s ability to create turnovers won the game for them, not Manning’s mediocre 250 passing yards or his 51.3 completion percentage. It’s also worth pointing out Manning and the Giants’ schedule up to this point. They had an early three-game winning streak against teams that are all below .500, sandwiched between losses to the Washington Redskins and Seattle Seahawks. They are currently on another three-game winning
streak, with three close wins against the Miami Dolphins, who just won their first game, the Buffalo Bills at home, and a team with the worst-ranked defense. Don’t get me wrong, Manning is having an above average to very good year. But it’s hard to classify a quarterback as elite after he threw 39 interceptions over his past two seasons to go along with 20 fumbles. So far this season, Manning has cut back on turnovers and has thrown only six interceptions in eight games. Fifteen touchdowns thrown through eight games is fine; he is on pace for 30 touchdowns in a season. But he has the same amount as Ryan Fitzpatrick and only two more than Matt Hasselbeck. Not exactly an elite class. Eli Manning could be considered at the top of the second tier of NFL quarterbacks, an honors class if you will. He’s leading the pack of very-good quarterbacks, a group that includes Matt Schaub and Matt Stafford. In the AP class, or “elite” class, are Tom Brady, Drew Brees and Aaron Rodgers. Drew Brees is averaging 334 passing yards a game, which is on pace to break the single-season record. Aaron Rodgers hasn’t lost a game since December and has an unworldly passer rating of 129.1. These are elite quarterbacks, and although Eli Manning has been impressive, he simply is not in their class.
nbower@ramapo.ed
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Women’s Volleyball falls short in NJAC Championship, but advances in ECAC Tournament. Page 13 photo by Steve Fallon